


Damaged Goods

by AliceSchuyler



Series: Keeping It Together [11]
Category: 9-1-1: Lone Star (TV 2020)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Graphic injuries, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Whump
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-10
Updated: 2021-02-10
Packaged: 2021-03-16 07:14:15
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,429
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29328351
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AliceSchuyler/pseuds/AliceSchuyler
Summary: TK's been missing for three days, and Carlos has just about lost the will to live.
Relationships: Carlos Reyes/TK Strand
Series: Keeping It Together [11]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2132163
Comments: 1
Kudos: 132





	Damaged Goods

**Author's Note:**

> TW: There's injuries, and graphic descriptions of homophobia. I'd just like to note that these are not my opinions (or I probably wouldn't be here writing about two gay characters!) but I'd like to make it clear that these are not my views. 
> 
> This is an AU – because God knows I couldn’t leave these boys to deal with the recovery from this.

“It’s been three days, and he’s nowhere to be found. His phone will have died by now Judd, and I’m due on shift in twenty minutes. I don’t know what to do anymore, or whether I should just be giving up,” admitted Carlos, sounding defeated, head in his hands. He’d barely slept since TK had disappeared during a shift, no-one knowing where he went, vanishing during a suspicious callout. Officers had combed Austin, coming up with nothing more than TK’s jacket, helmet and radio, discarded in an alleyway, evidence of a scuffle, blood spatter on the walls. An indication someone had probably been punched hard in the face, given the height of the smeared blood. Carlos had to bite down on the overwhelming urge to panic, trying to remind himself that it was less likely TK was dead, and more likely just injured.

_But it had been three days._

Three exhausting days, with no new leads, and Carlos was barely able to stand up straight, let alone think his way out of a paper bag, the world like molasses. He’d ended up on Judd and Grace’s couch after the second day, almost incoherent with overwhelming anxiety, Judd having to talk him off the edge of the emotional cliff he was standing on, before Carlos had ended up making himself sick, shivering through an intense low blood sugar from lack of food as Grace sat next to him. She’d been a godsend, rubbing his back as he threw up nothing but bile, handing him glasses of clear lemonade, trying to help settle his stressed out body, running her hands through his hair as he laid his head on her on her lap, too weary to fight. Judd sat across from him on the other lounge, hands clasped in front of him, looking at his young friend. Grace helped him sit up, standing up herself to go to the kitchen.

“I don’t think you should be going to work today Carlos. You’re exhausted, you need some sleep,” said Grace gently, moving to grab a glass from a cabinet. Carlos shook his head vehemently.

“I need to go in. What if today’s the day they find him?” replied Carlos.

“You’re not gonna be of any use to that boy of yours if you collapse at work,” added Grace, returning to the loungeroom, putting a glass of water on the coffee table in front of Carlos.

“I don’t care, please, I need to be there,” answered Carlos. Judd rubbed a hand across his face, before sighing heavily, looking at his wife, then back at Carlos.

“Fine. I will drive you in, drop you off, and Grace will pick you up after shift. I really don’t think this is a good idea though,” reiterated Judd. Carlos stood up on unsteady feet, Judd mirroring the movement, and the pair headed out of the house.

“Judd, this is a bad idea,” whispered Grace.

“I don’t like it either, but I think this is our best option Gracie, otherwise I think he’ll just walk to work from here. I promise, I’ll let his sergeant know what’s he’s in for,” decided Judd. He kissed Grace briefly before heading out the front door, climbing into the driver’s seat of his pickup. Carlos sat in the passenger seat, looking lost in his own thoughts, gazing out the window as the Austin scenery flew past. Judd had them pulling up near the Austin Police Department fifteen minutes later, looking over at Carlos. “I can take you back home if you want,” offered Judd. Carlos shook his head, unlatching the door and stepping out of the truck, looking surprised when Judd did the same thing, locking the truck and following him.

“I’m fine Judd, seriously, you can go to work or back to Grace,” said Carlos, waving him away.

“If you’d been listening, you’d know the 126 has been stood down until we have some closure at the moment. Cap isn’t in a place to work, and Strickland has been helping out you guys, and Marwani and Chavez are doing coffee runs to make sure everyone is looked after. All our calls are being routed through the 121 and the 132. Besides, I’m not here for you, I’m here to tell your sergeant what state you’re actually in so he can keep an eye on you today,” answered Judd. Carlos scowled at him, making his way up the steps, feeling Judd’s presence behind him. He headed straight for the locker room, pulling his spare uniform from his locker and dressing, barely paying attention as he threaded his utility belt through the loops on his pants, before glancing up as two other officers walked in. He left the locker room in a hurry, making a beeline for the break room, making the strongest coffee he could stand, glaring over it as he watched Judd leave, his sergeant watching him with careful eyes.

“You look like shit Reyes,” commented Williams, coming in to make his own coffee. Carlos nodded, sipping the bitter brew, the coffee as dark as his mood.

“It’s been a long three days. Don’t even ask,” replied Carlos. Williams raised his hands in surrender, and let Carlos slink past. He dumped his coffee mug on his desk, sitting down to deal with paperwork from the night shift. He methodically worked through the reports, entering data into the system, concentrating on anything but his broken heart. He continued working through his lunch break, declining the offer from colleagues to take a break and have something to eat, choosing to immerse himself in his work. One cup of coffee turned into four, and he felt the caffeine induced jitters racing through him. He ignored them, moving on to the next report. He glanced up as several officers sprinted past his desk, and then resumed looking at his paperwork, his eyes starting to swim with exhaustion. A tap on the shoulder had him turned around, facing Williams, whose face was masking… something.

“Reyes, don’t panic on me. I need you to come outside,” he said gently. Carlos recognised the tone, one he used himself on victims, and wondered what on earth was going on. He allowed Williams to lead him outside the station into the blinding sunlight, not even realising how warm and humid it had become since he’d staggered into the station that morning. He followed Williams around the corner into the side-alley, where one female officer was being wrapped in a shock blanket, face pale and eyes blank, looking haunted. Another two officers stood looking into the dumpster bin, and Carlos was confused.

“What’s going on?” he asked. The two officers split, allowing him in, and what he saw took his breath away.

_TK._

“ _Mierde_. Help me get in there, come on,” ordered Carlos. Williams gave him a leg up, allowing him to perch on the edge of the metal bin before he cautiously leapt down, careful to avoid TK, ignoring the rancid stench of rotting food and garbage. “Has someone called EMS?” asked Carlos, hands fluttering over TK, not sure if he touch.

“They’re on their way. We’re not sure if he’s got spinal injuries, so dispatch told us not to move him if possible until they get here,” said Williams. Carlos wanted to feel TK, know he was really _real_ , his sudden disappearance three days ago still playing on his sleep deprived mind. TK looked like a wreck, Carlos’ heart reaching out for him in obvious pain and distress. His hair was matted with blood, eyes blackened, lips chapped and torn, crusted with blood; someone had taped his mouth shut and ripped it off. Ligature marks wrapped around his neck; the person who had done this was larger than TK by a fair amount, judging by the damage there, the skin mottled with finger marks. TK’s shirt was missing, though Carlos wasn’t sure where it was. He could see his left shoulder was dislocated at the very least, his arm hanging off his body at an unnatural angle. The bruising flared out along his chest, and his arms were glistening and pink. Carlos sucked in a breath as he realised TK had been utterly tortured in the three days he’d been missing, and berated himself for contemplating defeat.

“Let dispatch know that that he’s got chemical burns on his arms as well as bruising on his neck and chest,” said Carlos thickly, swallowing against the coffee that desperately wanted to make a reappearance, trying to hold it together for TK. He could count the broken fingers on TK’s hands, at least every second one swollen and bruised, his wrists rubbed raw and angry, evidence he’d been restrained somehow, by someone. He was concerned that TK hadn’t yet regained consciousness, but assumed it was probably due to the seriousness of his injuries. He looked down at TK’s legs, almost gagging at the knife that was still embedded in his thigh, anxiously wanting to remove it, but knowing that he shouldn’t, and that it was a job for the EMS crew that arrived. He glanced up as he heard an ambulance screech to a stop, the telltale rattling of Judd’s pickup right behind it. The EMS unit from the 121 walked on to the scene, Judd and Owen behind them.

“TK? TK!” called Owen. Carlos stood up in the dumpster, face falling, and Owen slowed down. “Oh God, no, please, not my boy,” pleaded Owen.

“No, sir, he’s okay, he’s just unconscious at the moment,” explained Carlos carefully. Paramedic Captain Daniel Davis moved to stand alongside the dumpster, his team Evelyn and Matt beside him.

“What have we got?” asked Daniel, and Carlos was never more grateful that Daniel didn’t say his name, or treat him like a friend, trying to keep the scene as professional as possible.

“Patient is TK Strand, located in this dumpster by one of our officers when she went to toss something inside. She heard a groan and investigated, and alerted the department as soon as he was discovered. Officer Reyes has started a preliminary assessment for dispatch, and will be able to provide more information,” said Williams calmly. Matt helped Evie perch on the edge of the bin, as she gave him a quick visual assessment.

“We’ll probably need the spine board, if not for spinal precautions, just to get him out of this trash heap. Looks like a head injury, burns to both forearms, dislocated shoulder, broken fingers, serious bruising, query broken or fractured ribs based on the location. Should also note the knife in his right thigh, and the left hip looks to possibly be dislocated as well given the angle displayed,” reported Evelyn. Carlos lost the fight with his stomach to retain his coffee, leaning over the edge to retch. Judd darted into the scene.

“Hey Reyes, just breathe, you’re okay, he’ll be alright,” said Judd reassuringly. He took a moment for himself to glance into the dumpster, and was amazed that TK was even still breathing, given the injuries he could see.

_Honestly though? He was more worried about the ones he couldn’t see._

“Come on, let’s get you out so Matt and Evie can look after TK,” suggested Judd calmly. Carlos nodded, allowing himself to be manhandled by Judd out of the dumpster as Evie and Matt scrambled in.

“No, no narcotics. Please, TK wouldn’t want that,” begged Carlos.

“We’ll look after him Carlos, I promise,” said Daniel. A second EMS unit pulled up, the 126, and Judd gently steered Carlos up the alley to the crew, away from the scene. He planted him on the back step of the van, allowing Tommy and Nancy to get in while Jack zipped down the street to assist the 121 crew.

“Why are you here?” asked Carlos, allowing an oxygen mask to be placed across his face, a shock blanket around his shoulders.

“Because you’re family too Carlos, and we look out for our own,” said Nancy. She inserted an IV drip into his arm, just a saline drip to keep him hydrated. Carlos felt like they were waiting for something to happen, but his exhausted mind just wasn’t able to keep up with everything that was happened. He watched on, dissociated from the scene in front of him, as Evie, Matt, Daniel and Jack moved TK’s battered body from the dumpster and out onto the waiting gurney, whisking him into the back of the 121 ambulance, Owen close behind as Jack returned to the 126.

“He’s alive Carlos, and we got him out. He’s on his way to the ho- Carlos, are you still with me?” The vision of Jack in front of him had started to swim, blood rushing into his ears as the adrenaline crash left him feeling worn and nauseated, unable to hold himself up.

_Time was turning into sand, falling grains in front of his eyes._

“Woah there pretty boy, don’t need to go smashing your face on the ground because you’re so tired,” jested Judd, catching Carlos before he face planted, a gentle palm on his chest to push him back up. He helped Jack and Nancy move Carlos to the gurney, strapping him in.

_Carlos was so tired._

“We’re going to take him in as well, at least get him checked over. He’s probably dehydrated, low blood sugar and exhausted. Won’t do any harm to get him checked out,” decided Tommy.

“Thanks Vega. I’ll meet you guys there.”

* * *

Carlos woke up in unfamiliar surroundings, the stark walls closing in on him, panic and uncertainty racing through his body, his heart monitor alerting anyone who was in the vicinity that Carlos Reyes was awake, and not in a good way. He gasped for air, feeling his heart pound in his chest, the anxiety ratcheted up to explosive levels. He felt a warm hand on his chest, another on his hand as two nurses entered the room, a third one behind them.

“Just try to breathe. You’re okay, I promise you are, you just passed out in the ambulance on the way in, so they decided to admit you. Come on, breathe with me. Inhale, two, three, four, five and exhale, two, three, four, five. Again.” Carlos blindly followed the instructions, focusing on the hands grounding him. He realised after a while that it was Grace sitting with him, her dark hands smoothing back his sweaty hair.

“What happened?” he asked wearily, allowing Grace to push him back against the pillows, the three nurses leaving after realising Grace had it handled.

“You passed out in the ambulance. Vega decided that they’d bring you in and have you admitted for observation after Judd explained how many days you’d been running on no sleep and very little to eat. Your body is worn down, exhausted and dehydrated, and they’ve been giving you fluids, and letting you rest,” explained Grace.

“Where’s TK?” Grace sighed.

“He’s in surgery at the moment. After some discussion with Owen, they’ve had to bend the no narcotics rule because TK is in a lot of pain, and possibly will be for a little while. They’re advising his sponsor for him, to ensure it won’t affect his sobriety,” answered Grace.

“But he’s alive, right?” Grace nodded, and Carlos let himself sink back into the pillows, eyes closing on their own accord.

“They’re going to move him in here when he’s out of surgery, okay? For now, you rest up, I’ll wake you up if anything changes."

* * *

_It was picture perfect._

_TK, Carlos, and their son and daughter, JJ and Nora._

_A perfect family._

_“JJ! Nora! Are you two ready for school yet?” called TK. Nora thundered downstairs and into the kitchen to get breakfast, hair mussed, but at least dressed._

_“Morning Papa, Papi,” said Nora, struggling to climb onto her seat. TK moved around the kitchen island bench to help Nora up onto the seat._

_“Morning Nora. Ready for your first day of school?” asked TK. He pulled a bowl over to her and handed her the cereal; when she turned four, she was adamant she would prepare her own breakfast. At nearly five and a half, she almost had it down to a perfect art._

_“Yep. I can’t wait to make friends!” She grinned. TK kissed the top of her head, and glanced at the staircase. “Josiah Jordan, you’d better be up!” shouted TK. JJ stomped down the stairs, swinging a backpack over his shoulders._

_“I’m up, I swear. Papi sounds like he’s sick,” he commented, snatching a bowl from the counter and making his own breakfast. TK hurtled up the stairs, wondering what was wrong with Carlos that would have JJ so concerned. He swung open the bedroom door, and found it empty. The sound of retching reached his ears from the bathroom, and he pushed the door open._

_“‘Los?” Carlos glanced at him, eyes rimmed red as he fought the urge to vomit again._

_“The kids,” he whispered before hanging his head over the toilet again, and TK realised; JJ and Nora had had the same virus a week earlier. TK dampened a cloth in the sink and wiped over Carlos’ face and neck before helping him rise on unsteady feet, bringing him back to the bed. He laid him down carefully, smoothing back his unruly hair._

_“What do you need?” asked TK, squatting down next to the bed._

_“Could you wake up?”_

* * *

“It’s been two days Grace. Why isn’t he waking up?”

“Just keep talking to him Carlos. He was really injured, his body might just need the time to heal.”

* * *

_“Carlos? Something’s wrong with my hand; I can’t move it,” called TK, trying to move his fingers experimentally._

_“You’ll be fine!” Carlos yelled back._

_“If I drop dead, I swear,” muttered TK. He tried to stand and his legs went from underneath him, sending him crumpling to the floor._

_“TK? Are you alright?” shouted Carlos._

_“I… I can’t feel my legs,” whispered TK. Carlos appeared, crouching down in front of him._

_“Come on, we’re running late for shift, we need to get moving,” exclaimed Carlos. TK felt the crushing pressure on his chest increase, struggling to take a breath._

_“I can’t breathe. Carlos, I can’t breathe,” panicked TK, struggling for air. Carlos laid a gentle hand on his shoulder._

_“If you wake up, you’ll be able to breathe.”_

_“What?”_

_“Wake up TK.”_

* * *

“I swear, I’ll stop making you eat that chilli stuff I know you secretly love, if you’d just wake up. Please.”

* * *

_“TK?”_

_“Yes ‘Los?”_

_“You know I love you, right?” TK kissed his shoulder, before looking up at the dark eyes, filled with passion. Something was niggling at his mind, something important. Couldn’t be important than Carlos though._

_Could it?_

_“Of course you goose. I love you too.” Carlos pulled TK up to meet his lips, brushing them with his own as he kissed TK deeply._

_Something didn’t feel right._

_“If you love me, why won’t you wake up?” TK pushed himself away from Carlos._

_“What? Carlos, I am awake, what are you talking about?” Carlos looked away from him, eyes filled with unshed tears._

_“Please TK, it’s been a week. I’ve missed seeing those gorgeous eyes of yours, that amazing smile. Please, wake up.”_

_“Carlos, I’m right he-” TK was cut off as he felt blinding pain course through his body, flooding through him and drowning him, unable to breathe._

_“I love you TK. Please come back to me.”_

* * *

Every breath hurt.

Each inhale send sparks of pain skittering across his chest, and it was all he could do to just _breathe_ through it. A groan slipped past his lips, flare ups of pain arcing through him as he tried to move.

“Don’t move son, you’re okay, just breathe, okay? You’re okay, I promise.” Owen’s voice was steady, and TK latched on to it like an anchor in a storm. He cracked open his eyes, moaning at the bright lights and snapping them shut again. “Hang on, I’ll turn them down for you. Try again now.” TK looked through slits, the room significantly darkened, taking the edge off his pain. He could see Gwyn in a chair across the room from him, next to another hospital bed, whoever in it sleeping through Owen’s calming platitudes.

“You found me,” croaked TK. Owen smoothed TK’s hair back from his forehead, looking at his son with warm eyes.

“Carlos found you. Well, one of the officers at the precinct did, but still. He stayed with you until EMS arrived, and then he collapsed, got himself admitted. He’s over there, sleeping at the moment,” said Owen, pointing over at the blanket covered lump on the other bed. He realised with a jolt that the tuft of dark hair sticking out the top was Carlos’ unruly hair, noting the oxygen cannula and IV lines snaking under the blanket.

“Is he okay?” asked TK, voice unsteady.

“He worked himself into a state of exhaustion, so he’s suffering from low blood sugar from lack of eating, and he was dehydrated. He’s been searching for you non-stop since you disappeared,” explained Owen calmly. TK could feel his heart swell for the man he loved so much, and let his eyes close.

“He’s pretty amazing,” he whispered, feeling himself fall off the cliff into sleep again, and Owen smiled at his son, sitting up and looking at his ex-wife.

“We should head home, get some sleep. These two will still be here in the morning, and you’re starting to smell,” joked Gwyn. Owen grinned at her, before taking her offered hand and leaving, Judd outside the ICU, offering to take their place in case TK woke up again. Owen hugged the large Texan, thanking him profusely before departing, and Judd walked in, book in hand. He took the seat between the two beds, in case either of them needed him during the night, and opened the book Grace had given him for Christmas, determined to finish it before the year was out.

He heard the stifled sobs, the hitching in breaths about an hour later, and glanced at TK first. He was still sleeping peacefully, so Judd turned to Carlos. He was tangled in his blanket, still half asleep, coherency lost to the nightmare that held him trapped. A whine slipped through his lips, terror and fear colouring the sound.

“Carlos, you’re in hospital, TK is okay, I promise,” said Judd calmly, untangling Carlos from his IV lines and blankets. He shot up, gasping for breath, and Judd caught him, an arm across the chest. “Look, he’s right there. Cap said he was awake a few minutes ago, but not for long. He asked about you.” Carlos felt the tension bleed out of him as he looked across at TK, realising he was now awake as well, eyes bright with pain.

“He’s awake now Judd,” said Carlos. Judd helped Carlos off his bed and into the chair next to TK’s bed, Carlos carefully touching TK’s hand, not wanting to hold his hand because he doesn’t want to hurt him.

“You found me,” said TK, breathless.

“Of course. You were in the dumpster next to the precinct. Olivia found you when she was taking some of the rubbish outside,” explained Carlos. TK nodded, eyes closing and face grimacing as a flash of pain startled him.

“Makes sense. He was trying to make a point,” replied TK.

“A point?”

“He wanted first responders to know that he doesn’t appreciate homosexuals in Austin, especially in the police or fire department. That’s why he picked me. He didn’t have clear access to you, and I was already at the location by myself, so he just… kidnapped me.” Judd stepped out of the room, returning with Officer Williams.

“It’s good to see you awake TK. Are you alright to give some more information about what happened?” asked Williams, taking a seat on the other side of TK, flipping open a notepad. Judd stood near the doorway of the room, keeping watch for anyone who was planning on coming in.

“It was at the Harley Drive callout, the industrial building on fire. We were at the scene, clearing rooms, advising dispatch that the information provided was incorrect. Strickland and Chavez had gone inside, Judd and Marwani too, and I thought I heard something from the alley, so I ducked down there. I saw someone crouched on the ground, and I took my helmet off to be able to see them He stood up so fast, punching me in the face, I couldn’t catch my breath…” TK took a deep breath, reminding himself he could indeed now breathe. Carlos rubbed a knuckle gently, reminding TK he was still here. “He took off my jacket, my radio, leaving them on the ground, and he put a gun to my ribs, told me to walk, and to not try anything funny,” added TK.

“What happened after that?” asked Williams.

“He put me in the trunk of his car, bound my wrists so I couldn’t get free, and then we drove. I can’t tell you for how long for, I’m sorry,” apologised TK.

“No, it’s okay. Any information we do get will be helpful, okay?” TK nodded, before plunging forward.

“He forced me inside his house, tripped me down his basement stairs. I woke up a little while later, tied to a chair, and I couldn’t escape, he’d taken off my LAFD shirt and my pants, I just had my briefs on. He told me he couldn’t leave me the way I was, because I was too pretty, and he needed to make sure Austin first responders knew how he felt when no one listened to him when his partner was killed in a homophobic hate crime, after weeks of reporting an issue.”

“James Lopez,” supplied Carlos.

“What?” TK twisted his head to look at Carlos, confused.

“I was the lead officer on his partner’s case, twelve months ago. We never found the guy who killed his husband, despite following every lead,” explained Carlos. TK’s eyes widened.

“James did it, to stop his husband being killed by some homophobe. I don’t know, but he said that a lot while I was there, told me how he did it. I didn’t understand why at the time,” added TK. Officer Williams jotted down a few more notes, before glancing up at TK.

“We’ll look further into that. Based on the injuries you have, and the similarities between the injuries found on the deceased Mr Lopez, I’m inclined to agree with you. Are you able to tell me what he did to you?” asked Williams gently. TK nodded, taking a deep breath again before continuing on.

“The head injuries I already had, from the punch in the face in the alley and the fall down the stairs. He taped up my mouth, make sure I couldn’t scream, and then he just… it was like he’d lost all control, he was so _chaotic_. He broke fingers, punched me across the chest, dislocated my shoulder, used something that smelled disgusting, pouring it on my arms. I’ve never wanted so much to do, because that hurt more than the gunshot, the skin bubbling in front of my eyes. He ripped the tape off then so I could throw up, and then I was sobbing, I was so confused, and he pulled a knife, telling me to shut up or he’d let me bleed out like a stuck pig, because that’s all I deserved, that’s all a cops boyfriend deserved. The last thing I remember was seeing the knife in my thigh, and not being able to scream loud enough, and his hands being on my throat, tight…” TK’s voice choked off, tears sliding down his cheeks, and Carlos stood up, kissing TK’s forehead, stroking away each tear with a gentle thumb.

“Shh, you’re okay now, I promise,” reassured Carlos gently.

“I didn’t think he’d let me leave. I didn’t think I’d see you again,” whispered TK.

“I spent three days not sleeping, looking for clues so we could find you. Ask Williams here, he’s been looking after my sorry ass, kicking me to the curb so I can get some sleep, and Grace and Judd have graciously hosted me on their couch as well. I wasn’t planning on going anywhere until I found you TK, I couldn’t bear to think about anything else except finding you,” explained Carlos, looking TK in the eyes, trying to convey the love and devotion to him.

“So TK, I assume the doctor hasn’t been in yet to talk to you about your injuries?” asked Williams, looking immediately uncomfortable.

“No doc has seen him yet, not while he’s been awake,” piped up Judd.

“Would you prefer to hear this from a doctor, or are you okay with me telling you?” asked Williams carefully.

“I don’t know what you’re going to tell me, I don’t know,” admitted TK. Carlos glanced back at Judd.

“Grab the doctor, I’d like to hear it from them,” he said, voice hard. TK looked at him, fear in his eyes, unused to the harsh tone in Carlos’ voice unless he was talking to a criminal. Judd disappeared from the room, returning with an older female doctor, peering over her glasses at the little group.

“Mr Strand, I understand you’re aware of some injuries, but have not yet been filled in on your full medical status?” asked the doctor kindly.

“I know about the burns, the broken nose, head injury, broken fingers and the thigh injury. I didn’t think there was anything else I needed to know about, like I’m sore, but nothing I can feel,” replied TK, still looking between Judd, Carlos and Williams for some sort of hint.

“Tyler, there are some… injuries to your back that were very concerning for us, given where you were located. There are several large wounds on your back that required stitches,” answered the doctor. Carlos could read between the lines better than TK could in his pain addled stated, and he paled visibly.

“No, please,” breathed Carlos. TK allowed Carlos to help him sit up, opening the back of the hospital gown, the doctor stepping in to peel back the dressings carefully. Carlos stepped back, gagging at the sight, and Williams and the doctor helped resituate TK on the bed, back against the pillows. Carlos struggled to pull himself under control, TK watching on, before glancing back at the doctor and Williams.

“What is it?” Williams was doing a slightly better job at holding himself together than Carlos, but experience was the only thing allowing him to hold his stomach together and not have to step away from the situation.

“Son, I am so sorry you had to go through this with Lopez. He… he’s carved the word FAG on your back,” answered Williams thickly. To his left, TK could hear Carlos vomiting, the sound far away, the whole room spinning a little. He met Judd’s eyes, seeing sorrow and sadness there, and could feel his heart breaking.

_No one would look at him the same._

“I’d like to finish up now. I’m tired,” said TK, his own voice sounding foreign to his own ears. Williams closed his notepad, standing up.

“When you’re ready, please reach out, let me know.” Williams left, discussing some of TK’s notes with the doctor, leaving Carlos and Judd in the room, the tension palpable.

“TK?” asked Carlos tentatively.

“I’d understand,” said TK quietly.

“Understand what?”

“If you wanted to leave. It’s not what you signed up for when you started dating me, so I don’t expect you to stay. I’m… I’m not the same person as before,” said TK sadly, closing his eyes, not wanting to see Carlos’ face. Judd and Carlos both made a noise of distress, and then TK felt Carlos’ presence next to him, a gentle hand through his hair, a soft kiss pressed to his brow.

“It’s not what’s outside TK. You mean the world to me, and this is something we get through together, not on your own. I admire your strength, to survive three days at Lopez’ hands and still not give up, to still be alive here in this hospital bed despite everything that has happened. I adore that you are _still_ here, and I love every part of you, unconditionally.” TK felt the dam wall break, and he started sobbing, the situation becoming all too real for him. Carlos pressed their foreheads together, whispering reassurances to TK, while Judd patted his leg soothingly.

“We will always be here for you TK, I promise.”

**Author's Note:**

> Come find me on tumblr and harass me to write more - @AliceSchuyler


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